Help For Rape Victims

March 12, 1986|By YELLOW

Today the doors open in Orlando for a rape crisis center. For the first time, victims of this brutal crime will have counseling on the long-term effects of rape.

They will have a 24-hour hot line to call. They will have volunteers to help them not only through the immediate crisis but also to help them months later when the traumas of court appearances and other stress set in. Also important, the center will counsel families of rape victims and educate the public.

Credit the Central Florida Women's Resource Center with getting this program started. The group won a $20,000 state grant to set up the program and has donated another $12,000 for the rape center office on Pasadena Place in downtown Orlando. It will begin raising money in April for a full-time director and for education programs for the schools.

The resource center filled a huge void. Until today Orlando was the only urban area in Florida without a comprehensive rape center. Tampa, by comparison, has more than 20 such programs. Sure, local police agencies have victim advocates. But they only respond to rapes that are reported -- about one in five. And police acknowledge that they do not have enough advocates to help victims past the first few days after they report the rapes.

Now all rape victims will have a center to help them through the immediate and long-term effects of this crime. The rape crisis center is a tribute to a community getting involved to take care of itself.